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J. W. WILLEFORD.

SCAFFOLD CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-29,1916.

1 1 95,889 Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ewuwloz ATENT @FT JOHN W. WILLEFORD, OF TI-IOMASVILLE, GEORGIA.

SCAFFOLD-CLAMP.

Application filed January 29, 1916.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN IV. IVILLnronD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Thomasville, in the county of Thomas and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Scaffold-Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in clamps for constructing and erecting scaffolds or connecting ladder sections on buildings for the use of carpenters, painters, masons, etc.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide simple and effective clamps whereby the upright timbers of a scaffold will be held in a rigid position and also whereby the transverse timbers or sleepers will be effectively sustained for supporting the flooring, and further whereby cross members may be readily positioned tobrace the uprights and cross timbers.

It is also my purpose to construct a device for this purpose wherein the necessity of nailing the timbers of a scaffold and the consequent danger of the removal of the nails by the weight on the scaffold will be entirely overcome.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a clamping member whereby the mitered ends of the vertical timbers may be effectively secured, to provide the member with a bracket having an adjustable element for holding the sleepers thereon and to further provide the member with an adjustable plate which is arranged adjacent one of the sides of the member and whereby the brace timbers may be arranged between said plate and member and effectively held thereon.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the improvement resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is aperspective view of a scaffold constructed in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged -horizontal sectional view taken approximately centrally through the clamp and the members engaged by the clamp, Fig. 3 is a perspective view looking toward the inner face of the clamp, the sleeper engaged by the clamp being shown in section, Fig. 4 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional View through the clamp Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

Serial No. 75,123.

and sleeper, the uprights as well as the wedge block being shown in elevation, Fig. is a perspective view of the clamp, the side being removed therefrom, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the removable side, and Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the clamp and taken approximately central of the uprights engaged by the clamp, the brace member also engaged by the clamp being shown in section.

In erecting a scaffold in accordance with my idea the usual timbers for such purpose are employed. The uprights 1l, however, have their meeting edges mitered or out to a bevel, as indicated by the numeral 2, the mitered ends contacting and being received in the central passage 3 provided with my improved clamp member 4. The passage 3 has parallel side wallsand one of its end walls which I will term the inner end wall, arranged at a right angle to the side walls, but the outer end wall is disposed at an angle other than a right angle, and is indicated by the numeral 5. The inner straight wall 6 is provided with a plurality of transverse knife members 7 which project in the passage 3, and a wedge member 8 is inserted in the passage be tween the outer ends of the uprights 1 and the angular wall 5. This wedge member 8 is forced in the passage driving uprights laterally therein and forcing the same into engagement with the knife members 7, thus effectively locking the uprights to the clamp. The clamp 4 is provided with a removable side 9, and the open face of the clamp is formed with tongues 10 10 which are adapted to be received in grooves 11ll in the inner face of the removable side members 9. The removable side 9 is provided in order to compensate for the reception of uprights in the passage of the clamp which are of a greater width than the passage, and the clamp is provided with laterally extending bolt members 12l2 which pass through suitable openings in the side member 9 and which are engaged by thumb nuts 13-13 to adjustably lock the side 9 upon the clamp.

The numeral 14 designates the lower or horizontal member of a substantially right angular bracket 15, the said portion 14 being formed in a line with the lower edge of the clamp and extending longitudinally therefrom, and the vertical member 16 of the bracket is provided with an adjustable binding element, such as a thumb screw 17, whereby the laterally extending supporting beams or sleepers 18 are secured to the brackets of each of the clamps and to the uprights 1. The boards comprising the flooring 19 rest upon the sleepers 18, and the said boards may be nailed or otherwise secured to the sleepers if desired. The sleepers of course have their free ends received in suitable openings in the masonry of the building, or if the building is of a height whereby the window frames are arranged thereon the said sleepers may be secured to the window frames, in the ordinary manner.

In order to secure the cross brace members 20 to each of the clamps, I provide the inner wall of the clamp, formed by the passage 3, with reamed orifices arranged away from each other at angles of degrees, and passed through the said orifices are the threaded shanks of headed members 21 which pass through suitable openings 22 in a plate 23, and the said ends of the said shanks receiving binding nuts 24:- The inner face of the plates 23 may be roughened or serrated, as may be the outer face of the clamp at opposite the said plate, so that When the plate is forced against the cross beams 20 by adjusting the nuts 24, the said beams will be effectively held against movement.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will beapparent that the height of the scaffold' may be increased by arranging an additional upright upon the upper upright 1 and the application of another clamp to the oint of the said uprights, while the first upright may remain in position to connect the joint of the lower uprights.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. The herein described means of constructing scaffolds including uprights having mitered meeting ends, a clamp having a passage receiving the ends of the upright, a removable and adjustable side upon the clamp contacting with one of the sides of the uprights, one of the walls of the passage of the clamp having knife members, a wedge member adapted to be inserted in the passage to force the uprights into engagement with the knife members, a bracket formed with the clamp for supporting the floor sleepers, and means for removably securing the cross brace members to the clamp.

2. A clamp for the purpose set forth comprising a substantially rectangular member having a passage, one of the end walls being arranged at an inclination and the opposite end wall being provided with transverse knife members, a wedge member adapted to be received in the passage and to engage with the angular end wall thereof, a removable side for the clamp, and means for ad justably sustaining the said side upon the clamp, an angular bracket formed with the clamp, a binding element upon the bracket, and a laterally adjustable plate arranged adjacent one of the sides of the clamp.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signaturev in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. VVILLEFORD.

l/Vitnesses:

S. W. DAVIS, O. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

